# US RE46,139 E1 · Language input interface on a device

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- Number: US RE46,139 E1
- Document ID: USRE46139E1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: E1
- Application number: 14/516,533
- Filed: 2014-10-16
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2008-03-04
- Assignees: Apple Inc.
- Applicants: Yasuo Kida; Kenneth Kocienda; Elizabeth Caroline Furches Cranfill
- Inventors: Yasuo Kida; Kenneth Kocienda; Elizabeth Caroline Furches Cranfill
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/USRE46139E1

## CPC

- G06F 3/0237: {using prediction or retrieval techniques}
- G06F 3/04886: by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for inputting text. A virtual keyboard is presented in a first region of a touch sensitive display of a device. An input representing a phonetic string is received on the virtual keyboard. The entered phonetic string is presented in a second region of the touch sensitive display. One or more candidates are identified based on the phonetic string. At least a subset of the candidates is presented. An input selecting one of the candidates is received. The entered phonetic string is replaced with the selected candidate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
presenting a virtual keyboard corresponding to a first alphabet in a first region of a touch-sensitive display of a device;
receiving an input on the virtual keyboard representing a phonetic string;
presenting the phonetic string in a second region of the touch-sensitive display;
identifying one or more candidate representations based on the phonetic string, wherein the candidate representations correspond to a second alphabet different from the first alphabet;
identifying one or more additional candidate representations based on the phonetic string in a third alphabet different from the first and second alphabets;
presenting a candidate tray including at least a subset of the candidate representations and a subset of the additional candidate representations;
receiving an input of a selected candidate representation of the candidate representations and the additional candidate representations; and
replacing the entered phonetic string with the selected candidate representation.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
the phonetic string comprises Chinese romanization; and
the candidates comprise Chinese characters.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein:
the phonetic string comprises Japanese romanization; and
the candidates comprise one or more of the group consisting of Japanese kanji characters and Japanese kana symbols.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual keyboard comprises keys corresponding to letters of the Latin alphabet.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the candidates comprise multi-character words.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein identifying one or more candidates based on the phonetic string comprises identifying one or more candidates using text prediction from the phonetic string.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein presenting at least a subset of the candidates comprises presenting the subset of the candidates in an order determined based on the text prediction.

### Claim 8

A portable device comprising:
a touch-sensitive display;
memory;
one or more processors; and
instructions stored in the memory and configured for execution by the one or more processors, the instructions comprising instructions to:
present a virtual keyboard corresponding to a first alphabet in a first region of the touch-sensitive display of a device;
receive an input on the virtual keyboard representing a phonetic string;
present the phonetic string in a second region of the touch-sensitive display;
identify one or more candidate representations based on the phonetic string, wherein the candidate representations correspond to a second alphabet different from the first alphabet;
identify one or more additional candidate representations based on the phonetic string in a third alphabet different from the first and second alphabets;
present a candidate tray including at least a subset of the candidate representations and a subset of the additional candidate representations;
receive an input of a selected candidate representation of the candidate representations and the additional candidate representations; and
replace the entered phonetic string with the selected candidate representation.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein:
the phonetic string comprises Chinese romanization; and
the candidates comprise Chinese characters.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein:
the phonetic string comprises Japanese romanization; and
the candidates comprise one or more of the group consisting of Japanese kanji characters and Japanese kana symbols.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein the virtual keyboard comprises keys corresponding to letters of the Latin alphabet.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein the candidates comprise multi-character words.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, further comprising instructions to identify one or more candidates using text prediction from the phonetic string.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The device of claim 13, further comprising instructions to present the subset of the candidates in an order determined based on the text prediction.

### Claim 15

A computer program product, encoded on a tangible program carrier, operable to cause a portable device to perform operations comprising:
presenting a virtual keyboard corresponding to a first alphabet in a first region of a touch-sensitive display of a device;
receiving an input on the virtual keyboard representing a phonetic string;
presenting the phonetic string in a second region of the touch-sensitive display;
identifying one or more candidate representations based on the phonetic strings wherein the candidate representations correspond to a second alphabet different from the first alphabet;
identifying one or more additional candidate representations based on the phonetic string in a third alphabet different from the first and second alphabets;
presenting a candidate tray including at least a subset of the candidate representations and a subset of the additional candidate representations;
receiving an input of a selected candidate representation of the candidate representations and the additional candidate representations; and
replacing the entered phonetic string with the selected candidate representation.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The program product of claim 15, wherein:
the phonetic string comprises Chinese romanization; and
the candidates comprise Chinese characters.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The program product of claim 15, wherein:
the phonetic string comprises Japanese romanization; and
the candidates comprise one or more of the group consisting of Japanese kanji characters and Japanese kana symbols.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The program product of claim 15, wherein the virtual keyboard comprises keys corresponding to letters of the Latin alphabet.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The program product of claim 15, wherein the candidates comprise multi-character words.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The program product of claim 15, wherein identifying one or more candidates based on the phonetic string comprises identifying one or more candidates using text prediction from the phonetic string.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The program product of claim 20, wherein presenting at least a subset of the candidates comprises presenting the subset of the candidates in an order determined based on the text prediction.

### Claim 22

A method comprising:
presenting a virtual keyboard corresponding to a first alphabet in a first region of a touch-sensitive display of a device;
receiving an input on the virtual keyboard representing a phonetic string;
presenting the phonetic string in a second region of the touch-sensitive display;
identifying one or more candidate representations based on the phonetic string, wherein the candidate representations correspond to a second alphabet different from the first alphabet;
identifying one or more additional candidate representations based on the phonetic string in a third alphabet different from the first and second alphabets;
presenting at least a subset of the candidate representations and a subset of the additional candidate representations inline with the phonetic string in the second region, where the candidate representations are displayed according to an orientation of text in the second region;
receiving an input selecting one of the candidate representations and the additional candidate representations; and
replacing the entered phonetic string with the selected candidate representation.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying one or more additional candidate representations based on the phonetic string in a third alphabet different from the first and second alphabets, wherein the candidate tray includes at least a subset of the additional candidate representations.

### Claim 24 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the candidate tray further includes the phonetic string.

### Claim 25 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the second alphabet comprises logographic characters.

### Claim 26 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the candidate tray is presented in place of the virtual keyboard.

### Claim 27 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the candidate tray is presented in place of the virtual keyboard.

### Claim 28 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the candidate tray is presented in place of the virtual keyboard.

### Claim 29 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the candidate tray comprises presenting the candidate tray in the second region of the touch-sensitive display.

### Claim 30 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein replacing the entered phonetic string comprises replacing the entered phonetic string in the second region of the touch-sensitive display.

### Claim 31 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the candidate tray comprises presenting the candidate tray adjacent to the phonetic string.

### Claim 32 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the candidate tray comprises presenting the candidate tray adjacent to the phonetic string in the second region.

### Claim 33 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving an input on the virtual keyboard representing a second phonetic string;
presenting the second phonetic string in the second region of the touch-sensitive display; and
receiving an input confirming the second phonetic string.

### Claim 34 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
presenting an option to expand the candidate tray to include a larger subset of the candidate representations.

### Claim 35 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
providing a confirm key.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The method of claim 35, wherein the received input of a selected candidate representation comprises a number of hits to the confirm key in succession.

### Claim 37 (depends on 36)

The method of claim 36, wherein each of the candidate representations presented in the candidate tray corresponds to a different number of hits of the confirm key.

### Claim 38 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
providing an option of replacing the virtual keyboard in the first region with at least a subset of the candidate representations.

### Claim 39 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
providing an option of presenting a different subset of the candidate representations in the candidate tray.

### Claim 40 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the phonetic string in the second region comprises:
displaying the phonetic string using a phonetic representation different from the first alphabet.

### Claim 41 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
displaying a visual indicator that identifies the presented phonetic string as a provisional input.

### Claim 42 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the candidate tray comprises:
presenting the subset of candidate representations according to a text orientation associated with the second alphabet.

### Claim 43 (depends on 42)

The method of claim 42, wherein the text orientation comprises a left to right orientation.

### Claim 44 (depends on 42)

The method of claim 42, wherein the text orientation comprises a right to left orientation.

### Claim 45 (depends on 42)

The method of claim 42, wherein the text orientation comprises a top to bottom orientation.

### Claim 46 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
presenting a next candidate key configured to allow a user to select a next candidate of the one or more candidate representations.

### Claim 47 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
presenting a previous candidate key configured to allow a user to select a previous candidate of the one or more candidate representations.

### Claim 48 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein the instructions to present the candidate tray include instructions to present the candidate tray in the second region of the touch-sensitive display.

### Claim 49 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein the instructions to replace the entered phonetic string include instructions to replace the entered phonetic string in the second region of the touch-sensitive display.

### Claim 50 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein the instructions to present the candidate tray include instructions to present the candidate tray adjacent to the phonetic string.

### Claim 51 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein the instructions to present the candidate tray comprise instructions to present the candidate tray adjacent to the phonetic string in the second region.

### Claim 52 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, further comprising instructions to:
receive an input on the virtual keyboard representing a second phonetic string;
present the second phonetic string in the second region of the touch-sensitive display; and
receive an input confirming the second phonetic string.

### Claim 53 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, further comprising instructions to:
present an option to expand the candidate tray to include a larger subset of the candidate representations.

### Claim 54 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, further comprising instructions to:
provide a confirm key.

### Claim 55 (depends on 54)

The device of claim 54, wherein the instructions to receive an input of a selected candidate representation include instructions to recognize a number of hits to the confirm key in succession.

### Claim 56 (depends on 55)

The device of claim 55, further comprising instructions to:
associate each of the candidate representations presented in the candidate tray with a different number of hits of the confirm key.

### Claim 57 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, further comprising instructions to:
provide an option of replacing the virtual keyboard in the first region with at least a subset of the candidate representations.

### Claim 58 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, further comprising instructions to:
provide an option of presenting a different subset of the candidate representations in the candidate tray.

### Claim 59 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8 wherein the instructions to present the phonetic string in the second region comprise instructions to display the phonetic string using a phonetic representation different from the first alphabet.

### Claim 60 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, further comprising instructions to:
display a visual indicator that identifies the presented phonetic string as a provisional input.

### Claim 61 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, wherein the instructions to present the candidate tray comprise instructions to present the subset of candidate representations according to a text orientation associated with the second alphabet.

### Claim 62 (depends on 61)

The device of claim 61, wherein the text orientation comprises a left to right orientation.

### Claim 63 (depends on 61)

The device of claim 61, wherein the text orientation comprises a right to left orientation.

### Claim 64 (depends on 61)

The device of claim 61, wherein the F comprises a top to bottom orientation.

### Claim 65 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, further comprising instructions to present a next candidate key configured to allow a user to select a next candidate of the one or more candidate representations.

### Claim 66 (depends on 8)

The device of claim 8, further comprising instructions to present a previous candidate key configured to allow a user to select a previous candidate of the one or more candidate representations.

### Claim 67 (depends on 15)

The program product of claim 15, wherein presenting the candidate tray comprises presenting the candidate tray in the second region of the touch-sensitive display.

### Claim 68 (depends on 15)

The program product of claim 15, wherein replacing the entered phonetic string comprises replacing the entered phonetic string in the second region of the touch-sensitive display.

### Claim 69 (depends on 15)

The program product of claim 15, wherein presenting the candidate tray comprises presenting the candidate tray adjacent to the phonetic string.

### Claim 70 (depends on 15)

The program product of claim 15, wherein presenting the candidate tray comprises presenting the candidate tray adjacent to the phonetic string in the second region.

### Claim 71 (depends on 15)

The program product of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving an input on the virtual keyboard representing a second phonetic string;
presenting the second phonetic string in the second region of the touch-sensitive display; and
receiving an input confirming the second phonetic string.

### Claim 72 (depends on 15)

The program product of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:
presenting an option to expand the candidate tray to include a larger subset of the candidate representations.

### Claim 73 (depends on 15)

The program product of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:
providing a confirm key.

### Claim 74 (depends on 73)

The program product of claim 73, wherein the received input of a selected candidate representation comprises a number of hits to the confirm key in succession.

### Claim 75 (depends on 74)

The program product of claim 74, wherein each of the candidate representations presented in the candidate tray corresponds to a different number of hits of the confirm key.

### Claim 76 (depends on 15)

The program product of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:
providing an option of replacing the virtual keyboard in the first region with at least a subset of the candidate representations.

### Claim 77 (depends on 15)

The program product of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:
providing an option of presenting a different subset of the candidate representations in the candidate tray.

### Claim 78 (depends on 15)

The program product of claim 15, wherein presenting the phonetic string in the second region comprises:
displaying the phonetic string using a phonetic representation different from the first alphabet.

### Claim 79 (depends on 15)

The program product of claim 15, further comprising:
displaying a visual indicator that identifies the presented phonetic string as a provisional input.

### Claim 80 (depends on 15)

The program product of claim 15, wherein presenting the candidate tray comprises presenting the subset of candidate representations according to a text orientation associated with the second alphabet.

### Claim 81 (depends on 80)

The program product of claim 80, wherein the text orientation comprises a left to right orientation.

### Claim 82 (depends on 80)

The program product of claim 80, wherein the text orientation comprises a right to left orientation.

### Claim 83 (depends on 80)

The program product of claim 80, wherein the text orientation comprises a top to bottom orientation.

### Claim 84 (depends on 15)

The program product of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:
presenting a next candidate key configured to allow a user to select a next candidate of the one or more candidate representations.

### Claim 85 (depends on 15)

The program product of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:
presenting a previous candidate key configured to allow a user to select a previous candidate of the one or more candidate representations.

### Claim 86 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein presenting the subset of candidate representations comprises presenting a candidate tray in the second region of the touch-sensitive display.

### Claim 87 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein replacing the entered phonetic string comprises replacing the entered phonetic string in the second region of the touch-sensitive display.

### Claim 88 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein presenting the subset of the candidate representations comprises presenting the candidate representations adjacent to the phonetic string.

### Claim 89 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein presenting the subset of candidate representations comprises presenting the candidate representations adjacent to the phonetic string in the second region.

### Claim 90 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, further comprising:
receiving an input on the virtual keyboard representing second phonetic string;
presenting the second phonetic string in the second region of the touch-sensitive display; and
receiving an input confirming the second phonetic string.

### Claim 91 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, further comprising:
presenting an option to expand the subset of the candidate representations.

### Claim 92 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, further comprising:
providing a confirm key.

### Claim 93 (depends on 92)

The method of claim 92, wherein the received input of a selected candidate representation comprises a number of hits to the confirm key in succession.

### Claim 94 (depends on 93)

The method of claim 93, wherein each of the candidate representations corresponds to a different number of hits of the confirm key.

### Claim 95 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, further comprising:
providing an option of replacing the virtual keyboard in the first region with at least a subset of the candidate representations.

### Claim 96 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, further comprising:
providing an option of presenting a different subset of the candidate representations.

### Claim 97 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein presenting the phonetic string in the second region comprises:
displaying the phonetic string using a phonetic representation different from the first alphabet.

### Claim 98 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, further comprising:
displaying a visual indicator that identifies the presented phonetic string as a provisional input.

### Claim 99 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein the orientation of text comprises a left to right orientation.

### Claim 100 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein the orientation of text comprises a right to left orientation.

### Claim 101 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, wherein the orientation of text comprises a top to bottom orientation.

### Claim 102 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, further comprising:
presenting a next candidate key configured to allow a user to select a next candidate of the one or more candidate representations.

### Claim 103 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22, further comprising:
presenting a previous candidate key configured to allow a user to select a previous candidate of the one or more candidate representations.

### Claim 104

A method comprising:
presenting a virtual keyboard corresponding to a first alphabet in a first region of a touch-sensitive display of a device;
receiving an input on the virtual keyboard representing a phonetic string;
presenting the phonetic string in a second region of the touch-sensitive display;
identifying one or more candidate representations based on the phonetic string, wherein the candidate representations correspond to a second alphabet different from the first alphabet;
identifying one or more additional candidate representations based on the phonetic string in a third alphabet different from the first and second alphabets;
presenting a candidate tray including at least a subset of the candidate representations and a subset of the additional candidate representations;
receiving an input of a selected candidate representation of the candidate representations and the additional candidate representations; and
removing the presented phonetic string and presenting the selected candidate representation.

### Claim 105

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by an electronic device with a touch-sensitive display, cause the device to:
present a virtual keyboard corresponding to a first alphabet in a first region of the touch-sensitive display of the device;
receive an input on the virtual keyboard representing a phonetic string;
present the phonetic string in a second region of the touch-sensitive display;
identify one or more candidate representations based on the phonetic string, wherein the candidate representations correspond to a second alphabet different from the first alphabet;
identify one or more additional candidate representations based on the phonetic string in a third alphabet different from the first and second alphabets;
present a candidate tray including at least a subset of the candidate representations and a subset of the additional candidate representations;
receive an input of a selected candidate representation of the candidate representations and the additional candidate representations; and
remove the presented phonetic string and present the selected candidate representation.

### Claim 106

A method comprising:
presenting a virtual keyboard corresponding to a first alphabet in a first region of a touch-sensitive display of a device;
receiving input representing a phonetic string corresponding to the first alphabet;
presenting the phonetic string in a second region of the touch-sensitive display;
identifying one or more candidate representations based on the phonetic string, wherein the candidate representations correspond to a second alphabet different from the first alphabet;
identifying one or more additional candidate representations based on the phonetic string in a third alphabet different from the first and second alphabets;
presenting a candidate tray including at least a subset of the candidate representations and a subset of the additional candidate representations;
receiving an input of a selected candidate representation of the candidate representations and the additional candidate representations; and
removing the presented phonetic string and presenting the selected candidate representation.

### Claim 107

A method comprising:
presenting a virtual keyboard in a first region of a touch-sensitive display of a device;
receiving an input on the virtual keyboard representing a phonetic string;
presenting the phonetic string using a first alphabet in a second region of the touch-sensitive display;
identifying one or more candidate representations based on the phonetic string, wherein the one or more candidate representations correspond to a second alphabet different from the first alphabet;
identifying one or more additional candidate representations based on the phonetic string in a third alphabet different from the first and second alphabets;
presenting a candidate tray including at least a subset of the candidate representations and a subset of the additional candidate representations;
receiving an input of a selected candidate representation of the candidate representations and the additional candidate representations; and
removing the presented phonetic string and presenting the selected candidate representation.

### Claim 108

A method comprising:
presenting one or more virtual keys corresponding to a first alphabet in a first region of a touch-sensitive display of a device;
receiving an input on the one or more virtual keys, wherein the input represents a phonetic string;
presenting the phonetic string in a second region of the touch-sensitive display;
identifying one or more candidate representations based on the phonetic string, wherein the one or more candidate representations correspond to a second alphabet different from the first alphabet;
identifying one or more additional candidate representations based on the phonetic string in a third alphabet different from the first and second alphabets;
presenting a candidate tray including at least a subset of the candidate representations and a subset of the additional candidate representations;
receiving an input of a selected candidate representation of the candidate representations and the additional candidate representations; and
removing the presented phonetic string and presenting the selected candidate representation.